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Posts Tagged ‘goodbye’

Mission Report: Beaufort Internship

Friday, December 8th, 2023

Hi book lovers, Kim Beaussible here, back with one last blog post as your spy inside the industry. 

As the year and my internship come to an end, I’ve been reflecting on what I’ve learned. I came into the internship with education in book publishing, but I’ve always learned better by diving in and Beaufort gave me the opportunity to jump. Just like every publishing intern, I spent time sifting through the slush pile for a good submission, but there’s more to working at an indie publisher than they show in the rom-com movies. 

I’ve collected all the classified intel from my missions as a Beaufort intern this fall, and now I can share them with you. If this leaks, I know it was you. 

Backlist titles are more important than you think.

While everyone is currently obsessing over the latest releases on BookTok, publishers spend an equal amount of time on their backlist books. At Beaufort this fall, we’ve been updating our descriptions and BISAC codes for backlist titles. There are more BISAC codes added each year and these new tags allow us to reclassify our book to help readers find that very specific fantasy romance they’ve been looking for. Descriptions are no different. Updating a book description is vital, as it’s the second thing to be judged after the cover, and out-of-date formats or language could turn off your new readers. 

Find joy in reading and then read, read, and read some more. 

Almost everyone who works in publishing got into the business because they love books. But as someone who spent the last six years reading only what was assigned, I fell behind as an actual reader, which meant falling behind in the industry as well. Comparable titles inform every choice we make as publishers, and being a voracious reader helps to assert yourself as a designer, editor, or marketer. I had to reignite my passion for reading to show up as the best editor-version of myself, and the best choice I made for myself was to subscribe to the Book of The Month box. Joining a book club or subscribing to a box like BOTM exposes you to more books and the choices of other readers so you can learn about industry trends and comp titles.

But wait, there’s more.

Just when you think you know it all, there’s more to learn. Whether it’s backlist metadata, social media trends, or author contracts, the one thing that remains constant is change. Our world changes at such an alarming rate now, with new technologies and ideas that change what and how we publish. Always be prepared to adapt and learn something new, because as soon as you figure it out you’re on to the next new thing. 

I’ve had a great couple of months bookies, but it’s time for this agent to say over and out.

“What I learned in Boating School is…”

Wednesday, November 29th, 2023

My time here is sadly coming to an end, so with that, I leave you with my top three most valuable things I’ve learned over the course of these past few months:

  1. Working/Interning at a small press offers more learning opportunities: There’s a reason they are referred to as “small presses.” Key word here is “small.” There’s not a ton of staff for these indie publishers to work in an assembly line fashion, keeping to their specific task. Most likely, the workers at these companies, though they have an area of expertise, are still doing a little bit of everything–editorial, marketing, publicity, sales, etc. Therefore, when you start your position at an indie publisher, you’re going to be learning way more than you would at a Big 5 publisher, and who knows, you may even find you love a different area of publishing more than you originally thought to pursue.
  2. Publishing is way more than just reading books: This kind of goes hand-in-hand with my last point, but I assume this also translates well to those who work at a Big 5 in, say, editorial. It’s not all reading submissions. There’s a lot more tedious tasks that go into making everything come together. So, while you will spend a lot of time reading, prepare yourself for the administrative tasks that come with the position. 
  3. There’s more than just the Big 5 out there: This goes for both, those trying to get published and those trying to get a job in publishing. It’s so easy to be overlooked by these major publishers because so many are flocking to them in pursuit of their dreams. However, your chances of getting your big break will greatly increase if you seek out opportunities elsewhere. Indie publishers are way more likely to pay you mind, so take a chance on them and they just may be willing to take a chance on you.

I hope these points enlighten you as they did me. I had such an amazing time at Beaufort these past few months and I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to intern here. So with that, this is me signing off.

-Beau Swan

On to the Next

Friday, December 9th, 2022

Dear Readers,

One thing to always remember is that when opportunity comes, it never goes away. My time as a Beaufort Books intern may have reached its time, but I know that I have made a valuable connection with four amazing individuals throughout these three months and will continue to apply what I have been taught to whatever opportunity approaches next. 

I came across the internship out of the blue. I discovered a callout for submissions through a sponsored Spencer Hill Press Instagram story. I followed them with the hope that when I finally write a manuscript that I could possibly pitch it to SHP or work with them in some way. After a few days, I saw the job posting for Fall Editorial Interns. I applied with the hope that securing this position would truly make me an equal, if not a standout candidate for a future publishing career. 

By the end of the summer, I was offered the position and I felt so proud of myself for shooting my shot and feeling like I was worthy enough to pursue this career that I have worked towards for what feels like only a short time. They tell you that a career in publishing is competitive and that is certainly true for many aspects of it. However, I find that when you look hard enough for chance opportunities (or sometimes even stumble upon them), the rewards will be so valuable and beneficial. 

I learned that I have an ability to design graphics which I had never properly known how to do before. Outside of taking and editing pictures, I never thought that I had the eye to put an image together from scratch that would be appealing and marketable. I designed many graphics that I look forward to seeing on Amazon some day. 

Beyond that, I read a manuscript that I felt very strongly about, and got a glimpse at what it felt like to fall in love with an unpublished piece of writing. I learned about contracts and how authors get paid. I even had the chance to assist in publicity research which further enforced how much I cherish that field of work. 

This internship has given me more passion and knowledge for the publishing industry, and fostered a new level of confidence because of the experience and the people who helped me along the way. I am so grateful and excited for all that is ahead of me. I am even more excited to apply what I learned throughout this experience onto others because I only have one semester left before I am able to navigate true adult life. I am scared about so much beyond graduation, but one thing I am definitely confident in now is the career field I will be in. 

Thank you to Beaufort Books for granting me a place here and for being such a bright spot as I get ready for everything that’s ahead of me. 

Sincerely,

Kaliisha of Woods BEAUyond